NOBCChEThank you those who participated in our first ever NOBCChE 1Q 2016 Town Hall Live Webcast. Please take a few minutes to provide your valuable feedback about the meeting. The survey should take no more than five minutes. If you missed it, don't worry, you can watch the rebroadcast or you can download the slides. Just remember to take the survey when you finish.

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh Department of Chemistry is hosting a summer undergraduate research fellowship for summer 2016. The 10-week program includes a $3,500 stipend and housing on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.

The program is holding five positions for students from underrepresented groups in chemistry.

Phys.orgIt's no secret that far fewer females enter into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) professions and fields such as engineering struggle to recruit women.
There have been a number of ineffective and stereotypical attempts to encourage girls into engineering which have failed to have a positive impact. Katie Klavenes, Research Assistant & Resource Developer at the Department's Engineering Design Centre, argues that it is a brain type rather than a gender issue that encourages males into STEM fields.
READ MORE

Fast CompanyIf you're looking for a new job, don't worry about writing a stellar cover letter. Nearly two-thirds of recruiters say it's not an important factor when they review applications, according to a survey of 1,400 recruiters by Jobvite, a recruiting software provider.
In fact, the cover letter is quickly becoming a dinosaur when it comes to hiring, says Jobvite chief people officer Rachel Bitte, and its demise is due to three things: speed, technology and volume.READ MORE

Medical DailyThe continuing under-representation of women in the science, technology, engineering, and math world is a problem whose roots can be seen as early as undergraduate biology class, a recent study published in PLOS One suggests.
Surveying 1,500 undergraduate students from three classes over the period of a college quarter, the researchers found that men were more likely to rate other male peers as especially competent and knowledgeable over women, even after accounting for performance and a willingness to speak out loud in class (men had a slight edge in both). For women, no such bias existed after accounting for these factors.
READ MORE

TIMEWhen you go on the first interview, you don't want to start talking money too soon or the employer will think all you care about is compensation.
You also want to learn as much about the opportunity as possible before talking money because what you find out could influence what you ask for. For example, the role might be a higher level or bigger scope of responsibility than you initially thought, in which case you might ask for more. Or the company is in a turnaround situation and your skills would be particularly suited to help — again, more leverage for you.READ MORE

The Huffington Post
The seeds of the achievement gap in science are planted before a child has ever set foot in an elementary school, according to a new study.
The new report out this month looks to explain why white, upper-class eighth-graders tend to perform much better in science than their low-income and minority peers.
Unfortunately, the answer involves a series of factors beyond any child's control. READ MORE

ScienceThese days, most scientists cross borders in one way or another. Many young scientists seek research training and experience abroad. Principal investigators lead labs with members from diverse nationalities and cultures. Researchers do their work within international collaborations or use scientific facilities abroad. Other times, the boundaries are disciplinary: Researchers harness scientific tools from other disciplines or partner with scientists in other fields to tackle a complex problem. But there are some boundaries that scientists should never cross: the ethical ones.
READ MORE

ForbesIf your job is not this easy to explain, that can make answering interview questions with hiring managers overly complicated. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when they tell people about what they do for a living — and what to say instead.
READ MORE